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Alaska Railroad Corp. (ARRC) is straightening itself out — literally. The 482-mile railroad plans to spend $77.8 million to straighten 70 curves between Anchorage and Wasilla, Alaska, to improve safety and reduce transit times.
Work began in late April on the project's $54 million first phase: a 10.5-mile segment from Anchorage to the Eagle River Bridge. ARRC plans to realign its existing mainline, build a second track, straighten 28 curves, grade-separate a crossing and relocate a track 3,000 feet farther from an Elmendorf Air Force Base runway.
Two other phases will follow on the Eagle River-to-Wasilla segment: Eagle River to Knik River and from Knik River to Wasilla. ARRC plans to spend $23.8 million straightening 42 curves and constructing embankments along the line. Final design and construction would begin this summer.
ARRC plans to reduce the angle of the track's curvature from 10 degrees to two degrees to improve wheel wear, lower the railroad's costs associated with relief trains, engine crews and rail maintenance, and minimize derailment risks.
Once complete in fall 2003, the project would enable trains to maintain speeds of 50 mph rather than slowing to 25 mph around curves, lowering ARRC's Anchorage-to-Wasilla passenger transit time from 90 minutes to 58 minutes while boosting the railroad's freight efficiency.
Federal Railroad Administration is funding 100 percent of phase one costs; Federal Transit Administration is funding part of the Eagle River-to-Wasilla line costs with ARRC providing matching funds.
The railroad is completing the project in conjunction with Anchorage-based Wilder Construction Co. Railworks Inc. is the track-laying subcontractor.